Mars Hill, which lies to the Southward of the Aroostook. At least, therefore, the Aroostook Territory, declared to be the undoubted property of the State of Maine, is but a point in abeyance. Both Parties claim, and it appears have exercised, an equal right over it. Under these circumstances, the Governor of New Brunswick informs me that he does not consider himself at liberty to alter, in any way, the existing state of things, in as far as regards the Districts abovementioned; but he assures me that he will take especial care to keep well within the limits of the line of duty marked out for him; and, considering the shape which this Question is now assuming, he will feel it imperative on him to apply immediately for still more precise Instructions for the guidance of his conduct in a matter of so much delicacy. I have entered thus at length into the subject, not with a view to provoke discussion here, but simply with the object of shewing to you, that whatever measures it may be found expedient to take on the subject of your representation, cannot originate with the Authorities of New Brunswick, but must be derived directly from His Majesty's Government, under whose view the Question has already been placed by I have the honour to be, &c. me. The Hon. H. Clay. SIR, H. U. ADDINGTON. (4.)—Mr. Vaughan to Mr. Clay. Washington, 15th November, 1825, I HAVE the honour to lay before you a Copy of a Letter with its Enclosures, which I have received from Sir Howard Douglas, His Britannick Majesty's Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. It appears that 2 American Citizens, representing themselves to be accredited Agents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the State of Maine, have circulated a Notice amongst the Settlers upon the Rivers St. John and Madawaska, that they were authorized to execute Deeds of Conveyance of Lands in those Districts; and the same Persons, on their passage through the Settlement of Madawaska, endeavoured to induce the Men belonging to the Militia not to attend the general training; asserting that they could not be fined for their absence, as the Territory which they occupied belonged to The United States. I regret that the difference of opinion which has resulted from the deliberations of the Commissioners under the Vth Article of the Treaty of Ghent, for fixing the Boundary between the Possessions of His Britannick Majesty and the Territory of The United States, has not yet been adjusted; and that an opening is thereby left for complaints of the nature I am now called upon to represent to you. I am sure, however, that you will concur with me in opinion, that, so long as the question of the Boundary remains in the present undecided state, it will be the duty of our Governments to control, mutually, any conduct, on the part of their respective Subjects, which is calculated to produce disunion and disagreement. I trust, therefore, that the conduct of the Individuals, which I have thought it my duty to bring before you, will meet with the disapprobation and discountenance of the Government of The United States. I have the honour, &c. The Hon. H. Clay. CHAS. R. VAUGHAN. (Enclosure.)-The Lieut.-Governor of New Brunswick to Mr. Vaughan. Frederickstown, N. B. 24th October, 1825. SIR, I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Excellency Copies of 2 Papers, communicated to me from Peter Fraser, Esq. one of the Magistrates, and Commandant of a Battalion of Militia, in the County of York in this Province, stating the conduct of 2 American Subjects, who have represented themselves as accredited Agents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and State of Maine. I submit to your Excellency's consideration the propriety of making a representation to the American Government, and demanding that an immediate stop be put to practices which have such a marked tendency to sow dissention and insubordination, in Settlements long since established by grant from His Majesty, and considered as subject to the British Crown: and which, if persisted in, may lead to serious consequences, which it will not be in my power to prevent. I have, &c. The Right Hon. C. R. Vaughan. HOWARD DOUGLAS. SIR, (Sub-Enclosure 1.)-Major Fraser to Lieut.-Colonel Shore. Madawaska, 8th October, 1825. On the 2d instant, 2 Americans passed through here to Baker's, at the head of the Settlement on the Saint John's River. They are Land Agents from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Maine. They returned on Tuesday; and, on their way down, offered money to the Militia-men not to appear at the general training on that day, and said to them that, as this part of the Country belonged to them, we could not fine them for non-attendance. They also left at Captain Firman Thibideau's, on the same day, the enclosed Paper, for him to make publick in the Settlement, which you will be pleased to lay before his Excellency the Governor. These Americans came and returned so rapidly, that I had it not in my power to see them personally, for, if I had received the enclosed Paper, and the information of their having offered money to prevent the men from attending the training, before their departure from here, I would have considered it my duty to have sent them down Prisoners to Frederickstown. I have the honor, &c. J. S. FRASER, Major Com. 4th Battalion, Y. C. Militia. The Hon. Lt. Col. George Shore, Adj.-Gen. Y. C. Militia. (Sub-Enclosure 2.)-Notice of Messrs. Coffin and Irish, Land Agents of Massachusetts and Maine. WE, the Subscribers, Land Agents for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and State of Maine, hereby give notice, that we are authorized and directed, by the Legislatures of said Commonwealth and State, to make and execute good and sufficient Deeds, conveying to each Settler on the Saint John's and Madawaska Rivers, now in actual possession, their heirs, and assigns, 100 acres each of the Land by them possessed, to include their improvements on their respective lots, they paying to the Undersigned, for the use of the said Commonwealth and State, 10 dollars each, and the expence of surveying the same. Those Persons desirous of availing themselves of the above advantage may obtain the same by applying to Samuel Cook, Esq. of Houlton Plantation, who will be authorized to survey the same; and Deeds will be executed conformable to said Cook's Survey, whenever the same is made, and Plans returned to us. GEO. W. COFFIN. JAMES IRISH. Madawaska, October 3, 1825. SIR, (5.)-Mr. Clay to Mr. Vaughan. Department of State, 25th November, 1825. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Note of the 15th current, transmitting a Copy of a Letter, with its Enclosures, received by you from the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. These Papers relate to certain proceedings of Persons, presumed to be the Agents of the States of Massachusetts and Maine, in respect to Settlers and Settlements formed or forming on the Rivers St. John's and Madawaska, which the Lieutenant-Governor supposes to be prejudicial to the rights and interests of Great Britain. Having no information whatever of the particular circumstances detailed in the Papers which you have transmitted, other than that which is derived from a perusal of them, I have caused the necessary inquiries to be made ; and as soon as I shall be put in possession of the requisite information to which they will lead, I will be able to give what I hope may prove to be satisfactory explanations of the transactions to which the Lieutenant-Governor refers. In the mean time, I pray you to accept, &c. The Right Hon. C. R. Vaughan. H. CLAY. (6.)-Mr. Vaughan to Mr. Clay. SIR, Washington, 2d December, 1825. I HAD the honour of calling your attention, in a Note dated 15th November, to the conduct of 2 American Citizens in the British Settlement of Madawaska, who called themselves Land Agents in the employment of the States of Maine and Massachusetts. I have since received several Documents relative to this business, from His Majesty's Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Howard Douglas: and I think it right to select from them, and lay before you, Copies of two Grants of Lands made by these Commissioners, in the British Settlement of Madawaska, and of their instructions respecting the cutting down and seizure of timber. The Grants of Land, it is stated, have been made in virtue of certain Resolutions of the Legislatures of Maine and Massachusetts, of the dates of February and June of the present Year. As I find that the conduct of the above-mentioned Agents has excited great attention and alarm in the British Settlements, I have the honour, upon submitting the inclosed additional Papers to your consideration, to repeat my request that this conduct may be disavowed and discountenanced by the Government of The United States. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. Henry Clay. CHAS. R. VAUGHAN. (Enclosure 1.)-Grants of Land made by Messrs. Coffin and Smith, Agents for Massachusetts and Maine. KNOW all men by these presents, that we, George W. Coffin, Agent for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and James Irish, Agent for the State of Maine, upon the subject of the Publick Lands in the said State, by virtue of powers vested in us by Resolves of the said Commonwealth, dated the 11th of June, 1825, and by Resolves of the said State, dated 26th February, 1825, and in consideration of the sum of 10 dollars to us paid by John Baker, of a plantation called and known by the name of Madawaska Settlement, in the County of Penobscot, and State aforesaid, situate upon the River St. John, yeoman, for the use of the said Commonwealth and State, the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, do, by these presents, in behalf of the Commonwealth and State aforesaid, give, grant, bargain, sell, and convey, to the said John Baker, bis heirs and assigns, for ever, the following parcel of Land, viz: beginning at Maryumticook stream or point, on the St. John's River; thence, running west by said River, 63 rods, to a stone marked No. 1, S. W.; thence, north, 320 rods; thence, east, 50 rods; thence, south, 311 rods, to a stake standing on south side of said stream; thence, by said stream, south 38 degrees; east, 15 rods and 17 links, to the bounds first mentioned; containing 100 acres, be the same more or less: To have and to hold the same, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof to the said John Baker, his heirs and assigns, to his and their use and behoof for ever. In testimony whereof, we, the said Agents, in behalf of the said Commonwealth and State, have hereunto subscribed our names, and affixed our Seals, this 3d day of October, 1825. Signed, Sealed, and delivered in presence of us, WALTER POWERS. HIRAM BAKER. I certify the above to be a true Copy. GEORGE MOREHOUSE, Magistrate for York County. KNOW all men by these presents, that we, George W. Coffin, Agent for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and James Irish, Agent for the State of Maine, upon the subject of the Publick Lands in the said State, by virtue of powers vested in us by Resolves of the said Commonwealth, dated the 11th day of June, 1825, and by Resolves of the said State, dated 26th February, 1825, and in consideration of the sum of 10 dollars to us paid by James Bacon, of a plantation called and known by the name of the Madawaska Settlement, in the County of Penobscot, and State aforesaid, situate upon the River St. John, yeoman, for the use of the said Commonwealth and State, the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, do, by these presents, in behalf of the Commonwealth and State aforesaid, give, grant, bargain, sell, and convey, to the said James Bacon, his heirs and assigns, for ever, the following parcel of land, viz: beginning at a cedar tree on the east side of the Maryumticook stream, near the bank of St. John's River, thence, north 40 degrees, west, by said stream, 25 rods, to the east line of lot No. 1, conveyed to John Baker; thence, north, on said east line of said lot No. 1, 303 rods, to the north-east corner of the said Baker's lot; thence, east, 52 rods; thence, south, 320 rods, to an elm tree standing near the bank of the St. John's River, marked as follows, I. I. A. October 4th, 1825, G. W. C. No. 2; thence 52 rods, by said River, to said cedar tree, marked I. I. A. No. 2, being the first mentioned bounds; containing 100 acres, be the same more or less: to have and to hold the same, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said James Bacon, his heirs and assigns, to his and their use and behoof for ever. In testimony whereof, we, the said Agents, in behalf of the said Commonwealth and State, have hereunto subscribed our names, and affixed our Seals, this 4th day of October, 1825. (L. S.) GEORGE W. COFFIN. Signed, Sealed, and delivered, in presence of us, WALTER POWERS. OWEN FITZGERALD. I certify the above to be a true Copy. GEORGE MOREHOUSE, Magistrate for York County. |